


stay gold

by onei



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: (kinda), Alternate Universe - Kindergarten & Pre-school, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eren's hero worship crush on Levi (but it's cute), Fluff, Gabi is a Jaeger for convenience's sake, Levi is appreciated, Levi is the 104th's teacher, Levi-centric (Shingeki no Kyojin), M/M, Mentions of characters past S3/chapter 90 but no major spoilers, POV Eren Yeager, POV Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Teacher Erwin Smith, Teacher Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Zeke's Beast Titan Plushie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25675678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onei/pseuds/onei
Summary: eren saw teacher levi kiss a titan on the cheek during lunch hour!or, levi teaches the 104th in pre-school, and falls in love somewhere in the middle.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 21
Kudos: 165





	stay gold

**Author's Note:**

> helloooo
> 
> so before we start, to make things less confusing, i tried to minimize references to school systems so everyone in the world would enjoy as much as possible regardless of their location!  
> i did have to decide on some stuff eg the kids and the parents call the teacher by their first names because it's what i'm familiar with in my country, hope it's not too confusing
> 
> the kids are 5, and in their last year of pre-school
> 
> this is rated t for minor language but otherwise there's nothing explicit, really
> 
> further notes at the end pls enjoy <33

Levi watched Sasha beam and jump out of her seat as her father poked his head inside of the classroom. The teacher sighed and caught her on the way as she tripped over her undone shoelaces in her effort to quickly shorten the distance between herself and the bag of food – was that _beef jerky_? – her father was holding out. Her dad came closer to pick her up before turning towards the teacher.

“I hope everything went well today, Levi?” he asked him.

“Sure did, Mr Braus. I think you’ll be happy to know that little Sasha here can now write her first name,” Levi replied. Mr Braus smiled and told his daughter he was proud of her before thanking Levi and bidding him goodbye. Levi watched them go, Sasha energetically waving at him with a shout of _“See you tomorrow Mr Levi!”_ over her dad’s shoulder.

He watched them disappear down the hallway before he turned back to the classroom and went back to picking up the few toys scattered around the floor.

Only two of his kids were still waiting for their mom to come pick them up now. Levi knew Mrs. Jaeger would arrive in 10 minutes, a few minutes before he’d be done tidying up the room. As always, she would smile sheepishly, apologize for being so late and say that she was held up at work. As always Levi would remind her that it was okay, that he really did not mind.

And he truly did _not_ , he got that it could be hard for some parents to liberate themselves on time and well, he was still there wasn’t he? Levi couldn’t bear to leave while the class was still messy. As firm as he was with his kids on this matter, as much time as he’d spend teaching them how to properly tidy everything up, at the end of the day, there would always be some pieces of paper here, a few coloring pencils there, some chairs scraped away from the tables where kids had left them in their haste to get to their parents, and so on. Therefore, Levi liked to stay behind so nothing would be out of place and the classroom, as well as his desk, would be ready for the upcoming day of class by the time he left the school.

He’d told the parents that on their parent-teacher meeting at the beginning of the school year. That’s when he offered them the opportunity to leave their child in his care at the end of the day if they had a bit of trouble picking them up on time. He had been firm in his intentions though, had told them that those 30 minutes were meant for him to clean up the remnants of a day in the company of twenty 5-year-old children, not get a daycare going, and he had asked them to collect their children on time if possible. The parents seemed, thankfully, understanding. He had met no problem thus far and would usually find himself with a maximum of 5 children after class.

During his clean-up time, as he’d taken to calling it, he’d usually get an extra pair of eager, small hands helping him but for some reason, that one day, said small hands had not joined him. Eren was in a bad mood, it seemed. Had been all afternoon. Levi had guessed that he might have gotten in yet another argument with Jean during lunch hour but, usually, he’d be over it by the time class was done. Yet here the kid was, small arms crossed over his chest and eyebrows drawn in a caricature of a frown. Levi crouched in front of him to meet his eyes, but Eren just turned away from him.

Well, that was weird.

Was Eren angry at _him_? The kid was very fond of his teacher, Levi had come to learn in the few months since the school year had started. And Levi appreciated him as well, he was always so motivated and earnest in everything he did it was hard not to like him, really.

He tried to meet his gaze again but Eren turned his head away the way he did the first time around.

Well. It seemed Eren had decided to ignore him. He was curious to know what he had apparently done wrong, but he knew just how stubborn the brat could be, so he’d just drop it and hope—

“Eren is mad because he saw you kiss a Titan during lunch,” he heard a calm little voice deadpan behind him.

“ _Mikasa_!”, a flustered Eren shouted.

Levi turned towards Eren’s adoptive sister but the little girl was already back to cleaning the blackboard (or rather, the parts that she could reach from her small height).

He kissed a Titan... ?

During lunch... ?

Oh.

_Oh._

_Erwin_.

Erwin Smith was the substitute teacher who’d filled in for Nanaba after she had to go on maternity leave back in January, two months ago.

Erwin Smith was all subtle smiles and gentle voice and gorgeous eyes, so wonderful that Levi hadn’t even had a problem with admitting to himself that he had inherited of a stupid crush on the man. He had told himself that it was just an infatuation at first. Erwin was only a few years older than him (31-year-old versus his 26-year-old self) on top of being a beautiful, charming man, and well, Levi had eyes.

He couldn’t even see Erwin and him becoming _friends_ anyway because of how different they seemed from each other at first glance, much less anything romantic. He’d get over it in a while, right?

 _Wrong_. They had ended up unexpectedly, rapidly bonding after a random conversation in the teachers’ room that had started out about that one Japanese movie that was releasing in theaters this Wednesday and had ended up drifting so much they barely had time to finish their respective lunches before going back to their pupils for the afternoon.

When Erwin had asked him if he would join him again for lunch the next day, Levi had told him that he usually only passed by the teachers’ room to warm up his lunch in the microwave before going back to eat it at his desk.“But... ,” Levi had found in himself to say before Erwin left the room, “Maybe you could join me in my classroom?”

Erwin had answered, “With pleasure. See you tomorrow, Levi,” with a little smile and that was that.

He’d joined him for lunch the day after that, and the day after that, and in the span of a few weeks they’d made eating lunch together the beginnings of a tradition, a scheduled rendez-vous Levi would look forward to every morning.

In that time, Levi learned that Erwin Smith was not just subtle smiles and gentle voice and gorgeous eyes. Erwin Smith was smart banter to counter his sarcastic remarks, stupid little laugh every time Levi exhibited his knack for dumb toilet humour, steady and confident voice when he told Levi about why and how he wanted to become a school principal. Erwin was actually eyeing their current principal, Keith Shadis’, seat, as the man was planning on leaving at the end of the year. He had all the required diplomas and was hoping he now had enough field experience as well to justify candidating for the position. He could see it, Levi thought. It suited him.

The more time they spent together, the more he would come to realize that maybe this went beyond a simple infatuation, after all.

Yeah, scratch that. Levi was _fucked_.

He had planned to keep it to himself, wasn’t even sure if Erwin liked men at all. But as it turned out, the more time they spent together, the more looks would linger, the more their fingers would brush. Too much for it all to be just accidental.

Two weeks ago, Erwin had kept his eyes steadily trained on him and revealed to him that he was attracted to men when the subject came up naturally. Levi hadn’t reacted, bar for a nod, but he was quite sure the burning sensation he felt in his ears meant they were visibly red.

Last Friday, at the end of their hour together, Erwin had grabbed his shoulder, looked around to make sure nobody was there and pecked him on the cheek before exiting his classroom. Levi had been frozen to the spot, could only manage to watch Erwin go and try to come to his senses in time for the afternoon term. Levi hadn’t seen Erwin again before the day ended and had spent the entire weekend thinking of that moment. 

This morning, he’d told himself to get his head out of his ass. At noon, after he had led his kids to the school canteen, he waited in his seat in front of his desk for the other man to show up. Five minutes later, like clockwork, a hesitant knock had come on the open door of his classroom. He had looked up to see Erwin in the doorway, Tupperware in his left hand, fingers from his right one still up from where they had knocked on his door, eyes… hopeful?

“Come in”, he had told him, watching as Erwin visibly deflated, as if he’d been nervous.

As usual, after greeting him, Erwin had gone to retrieve a chair to set it across from Levi’s desk, but this time Levi had cleared his throat before he could complete the task and asked him, “Could you… Sit down next to me, today?”

Erwin had nodded and done as instructed. After a few minutes of silence where each of them had gotten started on their respective meals and Levi had insulted himself at least 25 times in his head for not doing anything, the shorter man had put his fork aside and looked up at his companion. When Erwin had turned his attention to him, he’d leaned up and pecked his cheek, in the same way Erwin had done to him a few days prior.

Erwin had looked surprised for a few seconds but had quickly recovered, smiling gently at Levi and nudging his shoulder with his own.

Levi had snorted, “Get that stupid smile off your face, you’re too old to be acting like this, it was just a kiss on the cheek.”

“I mean, we could turn that into something else, if you are willing,” Erwin had suggested playfully.

Levi had known he was kidding but still clicked his tongue, “Ah yes, because that would be very appropriate in this time and place.”

“Well then, I guess I’ll wait for our date. “

“Our _date_? What date?”

“The one I’m planning to ask you on right about now. Are you free tomorrow evening? ” Erwin had asked. His voice was as steady and confident as it usually sounded but Levi knew him enough now to notice the small, minuscule glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes that would betray his seemingly perfectly composed exterior if one were to look close enough.

“Sure. Tomorrow evening sounds good. I’ll trust you with the location,” Levi had answered.

And he did trust him. As cliché as it might have sounded, Erwin and he had just _clicked_. He didn’t usually let people in that easily, had always kept his guard up, but Erwin had, somehow, wormed himself in so easily through the cracks in the wall that it was disconcerting for Levi. He felt the man understood him and wouldn’t lead him to a place that would make him uncomfortable. Time would tell if he had been wrong.

“I hope I won’t disappoint,” Erwin had replied. “Though I think I might need a little something to fuel my imagination. We want this to be perfect after all, don’t we?” he had said, slightly leaned down (ugh, the giant fucker) towards Levi, cheek first.

Levi had rolled his eyes before flicking the cheek Erwin had so happily leaned towards him, “Do you think you’re being cute or something, old man?” (“ _I’m only five years older than you, Levi, stop calling me old man._ ”)

He had already been careless enough to kiss him once on school grounds today, he would not do it again. Erwin just chuckled before they resumed their eating in a comfortable silence.

Maybe they’d gotten close enough for their legs to brush together under the table while they finished their lunch. Maybe Erwin had briefly grabbed his smaller hand in his and given it a squeeze right before leaving. But that was it.

So yes.

 _Erwin_. Whom Eren had apparently seen him kissing.

Levi blinked and berated himself mentally. It was just a peck on the cheek, but they should have been more careful. The door was closed, but all the classrooms had windows that looked into them from the hallways. Damn Erwin for having him behave like a freaking teenager. He’d have to talk to the other man about this. If their relationship went further, then they needed to set boundaries. Considering the ability children had to keep things to themselves and the fact that Mikasa knew already, Levi was already thinking of how they might get a stern talking to from Shadis once he heard of this. He wasn’t worried that it’d go any further than that since there were no rules about employees on equal ground entering relationships. He just hoped it wouldn’t be seen as a lack of professionalism and thus, in Erwin’s case, compromise his chances in his candidacy as the next school principal.

But wait. Had Eren called the man a _Titan_?

“Eren?” This time the boy did look down at Levi where the man had crouched before him, eyes wide and face red. “What is this about, Eren?”

“I forgot my jacket and I was cold so the lunch ladies let me get back here to take it so I did and then I saw you and the big man and he sat down next to you and you kissed him on the cheek,” The kid told him, words hastily running after each other in the way only children could manage. Well, that explained why Levi hadn’t even noticed him, the kids’ jackets were lined up on hangers in the hallway, he hadn’t even needed to enter the classroom to retrieve his, certainly saw him and Erwin through the windows.

“And why did you call Erwin a Titan?”

Eren frowned, “Because he’s big and he’s bad.” He stated, as it if it were an obvious fact.

“And why is he bad?”

Eren flushed. In the face of his silence, Mikasa turned around again and in the same calm, deadpan voice as before, stated, “Levi, Eren is mad because he wanted to marry you when he’s an adult and tall like you are but Mr Erwin and you kissed so that means you are already married.”

Levi turned back to Eren. This was equal parts cute and disconcerting to the teacher. He’d known about Eren’s little hero worship slash… crush? He guessed? But he didn’t know he was apparently spoken for. He had just ignored it as he knew the kid would just get over it, but he guessed he had no choice but to say something about it now.

He sighed.

“Well, first of all, Eren, I hope you’ll grow a bit taller than me when you’re older,” Levi told him.

Eren tilted his head in confusion, “But you are tall, Levi.”

Ah, childhood.

Levi patted him on the head, “Yeah, from your perspective, maybe, kiddo. Second of all, you know we can’t get married right? By the time you’ll be an adult, I’ll be all wrinkly and old anyway and you won’t even want to look at me. You know that, right?”

That got a giggle out of Eren. _Phew_. It seemed it was surprisingly all it took to get the little boy to calm down a bit.

“But Levi, are you and Mr Erwin married?”

“We aren’t, Eren.”

“But—” Oh hell _no_ , Levi was willing to teach these kids a lot, but the technicalities of a relationship between adults he would leave to their own parents.

Fortunately for him, Eren was cut off by Mikasa exclaiming, “Hello mom!”

Levi got up from where he was crouched in front of Eren to greet Mrs Jaeger. Just in time. He looked down at Eren one last time as the boy was getting up from his seat, “Okay now, Eren?”

Eren nodded earnestly, “Yes Levi, I’m sorry I called Mr Erwin a Titan and didn’t help you collect the toys today.”

Levi snorted, “Don’t worry about that kid. Let’s go join your mom now.”

He crossed the classroom with Eren in tow to where Mrs Jaeger was waiting, near the doorway, Mikasa already in her arms.

He bid both the woman and the children goodbye and then he was left alone in his classroom. Only then did he allow himself the slightest of smiles. A _Titan_! Where did that brat even get that from?

He told Erwin all about it in the middle of their dinner the following evening and watched as the man erupted in loud guffaws at the idea of being a called a _Titan_ of all things. It was endearing, the way Erwin could be stern and stoic one second and turn into the complete opposite the next. Levi just wished it wouldn't be so infectious, how could he manage to have a serious conversation with the man about being careful on school grounds when all he could do was join Erwin in his laughing fit with small chuckles on his own?

It wasn't so often that he let himself so loose but he was feeling relaxed, Erwin having led him to a small, art-house cinema in town (far from the big theaters crawling with raucous teenagers he most likely knew Levi wouldn’t have appreciated) to watch a foreign film before they had settled in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant to enjoy a nice dinner together.

At the end of the evening, they walked together until they had to split to get to their respective apartments. Levi leaned on the tip of his toes to get as high as possible, Erwin putting his right hand on the small of his back to stabilize him. He met him halfway so they shared could share a kiss. Levi broke it after a few seconds.

“Fucking giant, maybe the kid was right about you being a Titan after all,” he said, his lips against Erwin's still. Erwin just shushed him and pulled him back in with the hand he had kept on his lower back, for a kiss that was deeper and longer this time around, their tongues mingling after some time.

When they separated, Erwin looked at him and told him, “I had a good time. I hope we can do this again?”

“So do I, Erwin. I’ll choose the time and place next time,” he said, leaving no room for arguments. “See you tomorrow at noon?”

“See you tomorrow, Levi.”

And Levi did see him the day after, and the one after that. After a week, they went on their second date, then their third, then their fourth.

He knew rumours had begun spreading among the teachers but both Erwin and he paid no mind to them. As much as the likes of Petra were trying to get it out of him, Levi never confirmed anything. He knew their relationship was pretty much an open secret by now, anyway.

Once, Erwin had popped in Levi’s classroom during clean-up time (he was the only other teacher Levi had allowed to do so, though Erwin rarely took him up on the opportunity because he knew how much Levi valued that time, as the man had told him himself). He introduced himself to the few remaining kids and ended up crouching in front of Eren as they both collected and reorganized the wooden letter blocks that were still strewn across the tables.

Eren quickly got over his initial shyness, passionately babbling Erwin’s ear off about the last weekend he had spent on the ocean coast with Mikasa and Armin. Erwin didn’t seem to mind, attentively listening to him as the child told him about all the seashells they had collected on the sand. It seemed like Eren had quickly changed his mind about Erwin. That or he didn’t mind Titans that much, after all.

At the end of the school year, Levi had to admit he had a bit of trouble sending his kids off for summer break and then, off to primary school. Even though he didn’t show it much, Levi always got attached to his pupils. Erwin had told him that it would get better through the years when Levi had mentioned it to him, the few years of experience he had over Levi speaking, though as much as Levi trusted him this was the one time he did not know if he believed him.

He had been so lucky that year. Both the kids and their parents had been a wonder to work with, and it seemed the feeling was mutual as he found himself taking a bouquet of flowers from Mrs Springer, a florist, and a decorated cake from Mrs Kirschtein, a pastry chef, on the very last day of class. They’d told him it was a collective gift from all the parents, who were grateful for all the work he had done this year and could only hope their children could meet other teachers like him through their upcoming school years. He had been a loss for words but then finally found it in himself to thank them all. Some of the kids had come running to him for a hug before leaving at the end of the day and he couldn’t find any reason to refuse them, crouching and opening his arms for those who had demanded it.

He was still dumbfounded when he entered Erwin’s apartment that evening, bouquet and cake still in his hands, and told the other man what had happened.

It was only later that evening, while lying down in Erwin’s arms, that he told him that this was the highest gratification he thought he could receive.

“My father fucked off after my mom got pregnant with me, you know. And my mom died when I was 6,” he felt a hand squeeze his waist, “my uncle took me in, but he was not made to raise kids, really. It felt like I never had adults around me who actually cared. Had to learn everything by myself. So, being able to help these kids feels… It feels nice. More than nice. I’m glad to see that their parents care enough about them to try and follow their progress, see if I’m actually doing my job. I know I’m just the teacher but still. I’m just so happy I can bring something to them.”

He didn’t know how to explain it further, had never had a way with words when it came to his emotions. But just one look into Erwin’s eyes, gray meeting blue, told him his lover _got it_.

“You’re not just the teacher, Levi,” Erwin said. “You truly care about those kids and everyone can notice. You pour so much genuine attention and love into what you do, and that makes a world of difference. You are not only a wonderful teacher, but also a beautiful person.”

Ewin told him he loved him, that night. Levi thought he could have waited for a day where he wasn’t so fucking overwhelmed with emotions already to drop that on him but there was no hesitation on his part when he mouthed “I love you too” against Erwin’s lips.

.

4.35

Shit, shit, _shit_. Eren tried to hurry. He was supposed to be in front of the school gates 5 minutes ago already. He hoped Gabi’s teacher wouldn’t be mad.

Eren had come back home from college two days ago, on Wednesday evening, when his schedule had cleared up right before Christmas break after his Anatomy professor had written the class an e-mail telling them that he had come down with the flu and could not be present for Thursday’s course (okay so maybe, just _maybe_ , he had allowed himself to skip a class today to come back early but could you blame him? The opportunity to avoid Friday evening pre-Christmas break traffic was too good to pass up on).

His half-brother Zeke had called him earlier today, telling him that something had come up at the clinic and his wife could not liberate herself to retrieve their daughter from school on time so, “Please Eren do you think you could do that for me? I swear I’ll owe you one? Thank you so much bro, Sina Pre-school, 2nd classroom on the left when you enter the hallway, I’ll warn the teacher that Gabi’s uncle will be coming for her.”

Eren liked Gabi, he was free, he was actually curious to see whether his old school changed, and he was staying at his parents’ ten minutes away from the school on foot, so it really wasn’t much of a bother for him.

 _Except_ Eren’s body had decided to shut down for a nap and wake up at 4.25, five minutes before the time he was supposed to be in front of the gates. He’d only had time to tie his hair up in a messy bun and make himself slightly presentable before he stormed out of his parents’ house.

The school gates finally came into view. He hurried inside, noting along the way that the building hadn’t changed a single bit. He wondered if the teacher that would greet him in the 2nd classroom on the left of the hallway would be the same one he’d looked up to when he himself was Gabi’s age.

He got his answer soon enough, as he poked his head in the classroom where he spent his last year of preschool and spotted a familiar figure with its back turned to him. Gabi was next to Levi, seemingly helping him clean up what looked like the last remnants of an eventful day, glitter, tape and sugar paper in shades of green, red and silver still strewn all over the tables. 

"Uncle Eren!" Gabi shouted when she spotted him in the doorway. She collected something on her table before running towards her uncle, ignoring Levi’s instructions not to run in the classroom, “Look at the pretty Christmas Card I made today!”

He hugged her briefly when she reached his legs with a _thump_ , before saying, “Can you wait just a few seconds while I speak to Levi, Gabi?”

The little girl apparently didn’t want to wait much going by the disgruntled look on her face, but she just shrugged, asking to be picked up. Eren bent down to collect her in her arms, telling her “Hey, you’re getting heavy, Gabi, I won’t be able to do this indefinitely.”

When he looked back up, he found Levi right in front of him.

“Hello Eren, it’s nice to see you again,” his former teacher said. “I always thought Gabi might have been related to you because of the surname. And she looks so much like you. Your niece, right?”

Eren got to really look at him for the first time in fifteen years, then. And, wow. Levi didn’t look one day over 30, the small wrinkles around his eyes the only detail that seemed to give away the fact that he wasn't as young as he seemed.

He stared for a while before finally realizing Levi was waiting for an answer, face blank but fine eyebrow slightly raised expectantly.

“Yes but it’s a funny story actually, haha, because the thing is I look like my mother but Gabi is related to me on my father’s side. Zeke is my half-brother – Zeke is Gabi’s dad by the way – from my dad's first marriage you see, we often get that remark but it’s crazy because it’s actually a total coincidence that Gabi and I look alike –“

“You’re rumbling, Uncle Eren”, Gabi said seriously with a frown on her small face.

Levi snorted, “ _Rambling_ , kid, not rumbling.” He then turned his attention to Eren, “You are rambling though. I guess some things never change, right?”

Eren smiled bashfully, “I guess they don’t."

They spent the next minutes catching up, Eren telling Levi about how he was studying to become a physical therapist and giving him updates about all the ex-classmates he had kept in touch with, surprised that Levi remembered almost all of them and had even had stumbled upon some of them through time, the last one being Historia, who was apparently studying to become a pre-school teacher herself.

They were interrupted when a knock came on the open door. Eren was surprised to see Erwin at the doorway. It was only when Levi addressed him with, “Oh, Erwin, please come in. You remember Eren Jaeger, right? One of my pupils from years ago?” that Eren had a sudden flash and remembered the embarrassing moment when day he had called the man a Titan.

“Eren Jaeger…” Erwin seemed to think for a few seconds before saying, “Oh! Yes, of course! You have obviously grown a lot since then.” Indeed, Eren was only a few centimeters shorter than Erwin now, “I’m the principal now, have been ever since Keith Shadis left.”

Okay, maybe neither Levi nor Erwin remembered The Moment.

Nice. _Good_.

But then, Erwin pinned Eren with a serious look and said, “So, Eren Jaeger. Have you come back to save my husband from the grasp of this Titan?”

Oh god, _why_? Someone please bury Eren alive and write down _‘Here lies Eren Jaeger, 2000-2020, drowned under the ocean of his own shame’_ on his tombstone.

Levi snorted, “Ignore him, Eren.” He made a gesture as if to wave Erwin away and Eren noticed to glint of a ring on his left hand, “You _have_ grown a lot though, you trying to join the ranks of the Titans or something?”

As deep as he was in the ocean of his shame, Eren did not care anymore, and decided to snark back at his teacher, “Or _maybe..._ you are just short?”

He heard Erwin’s breath catch behind him where he had sat himself at Levi’s desk and had the fleeting thought that maybe he _could_ land himself even deeper than he already had, after all.

Unexpectedly though, Levi just sighed.

“Digs at my height, huh? Guess you really are related to Gabi’s dad.”

Speaking of Gabi, the girl was looking up at her uncle now and chose that moment to tap him on the chest, “Can we go home now Uncle Eren?”

“Wait, kid,” Levi said before he went to the back of the class to retrieve something, “You almost forgot your… Thing.” Eren looked as Levi held up a plushie precariously between two fingers, as if disgusted by it. He instantly recognized the monkey plushie Zeke had offered Gabi. Eren understood Levi’s scorn at the thing, it was quite frankly ugly, almost creepy, all pointy teeth and gangly arms and red eyes of all things, but Gabi seemed to like it, cherishing the gift that had come from her dad.

He told Levi just that and watched as the teacher rolled his eyes and deadpanned, “Oh? He’s the one who bought that thing? What a surprise.”

Eren actually laughed at that. Zeke was something, that was for sure.

He asked Gabi if she was all set, Levi reminding him not to “Forget about the jacket on the hanger on your way out” and then they were ready to go.

He turned back towards Levi one last time before leaving and said, “Thank you, Levi, I’m really happy I got to see you again. Erwin, you as well. Merry Christmas to the both of you.”

Levi faced him with a small, rare smile.

“It was good to see you too, kiddo. Don’t hesitate to pass by again when you’re back in town, it truly makes me happy to know what my former kids are doing these days. Bye Gabi, bye Eren. Merry Christmas to the both of you.”

“Merry Christmas!” Gabi exclaimed before they got out of the room and Eren closed the door behind them.

He set her down and, together, they went to retrieve her thick winter jacket. As he helped her put it on, through the hallway windows that looked into the classroom, Eren saw Levi sit down on his own desk, next to where Erwin had claimed his chair.

He saw Erwin intertwine their fingers together and look up at his old teacher, eyes glinting with adoration as Levi's mouth stretched in the most blinding smile Eren had seen him give anyone. He averted his gaze, the moment between both men feeling oh so private, and began leading his niece down the hallway.

Things truly hadn’t changed.

**Author's Note:**

> zeke would totally antagonize levi by entering the classroom at the end of the day and acting like he can't see him because of his height and saying very loudly "where's your teacher kids did he leave you with no supervision again?" and levi would just sigh and ignore his existence as much as possible
> 
> there's a manga related pun somewhere in the epilogue that i thought was super funny and subtle but is probably lame and not subtle sdfdsf i am so sorry
> 
> funny story HAHA this is my first fanfic EVER. i've been in fandom/fanfic forever but i never wrote before. caught up w both the anime and the manga a few months ago and now boom here i am, eruri made me jump the writing gun. i'm thinking of maybe giving this a try again so please do drop criticism (esp about levi/ewin's characterisation i'd love to know what ppl thought of it, i hope they weren't too ooc!), i won't take it badly, i'm looking to improve and would love to know if i got things right, especially as english is not my first language.
> 
> also do tell me if i missed a tag!
> 
> (title is a reference to utada hikaru's stay gold)
> 
> that's it for me byee <3


End file.
